


Echo's Resolve

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adult Content, Alternate Universe, Angst, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-10
Updated: 2006-03-10
Packaged: 2019-02-02 12:14:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12726429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: A dejected Daniel continues his search but wonders how long he can go on without hope.





	Echo's Resolve

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

  
Author's notes: Mention of violence and AU character death. Otherwise, not much this time, mostly confusion and sharp words.  
Thanks to my Beta, Gateroller!  


* * *

He was tired, so tired but sleep brought no relief any more. He no longer even had his dreams to rely on, to escape into; they had deserted him like everything else, replaced by restless dreamless sleep or by nightmares. There was only one thing that would bring him any peace and it wasn't sleep. The only reliable aspect of his life was his need to journey through the mirror; it was all that made his life worth living though recently he'd even begun to wonder if that was enough reason to keep going. It had become soul destroying to go through with hope and to return empty-handed, or even worse, in despair. He'd discovered things about himself - through his doppelgangers - that he didn't like or didn't understand. Character traits that he hoped _he_ didn't possess; yet surely he must, even if they were buried deep within his psyche.

He learned things about Jack too, depths to his character that even Daniel, who had believed he knew every possible aspect of his lover's character, hadn't expected; some were wonderful, others were shocking. Jack had always told him he had darkness within but Daniel never quite believed him; now he did. His Jack had always kept it tightly controlled but in some other lives it had consumed him; and sometimes other Daniels had been burned in the conflagration.

Yet he was honest enough that when it came down to it none of that really mattered because it was necessary for him to go through the mirror as many times as it took to find the man he needed to feel really alive. Those other Jacks and Daniels weren't them, they may be possible alternatives but they had been formed because of those differing forks in the road and by definition they were different. Both he and his Jack had faults but they knew each other inside out and without Jack he was just existing now, day to day. Without Jack nothing had any meaning. He had found some satisfaction in knowing he had brought together Jacks and Daniels who might otherwise have drifted through life side by side but still so far apart and until - he no longer said if, he couldn't accept that he _wouldn't_ find him one day - the day he found his Jack he would carry on doing all he could to help. He realised it was a very one dimensional way to live, but it was all he wanted. He considered the possibility that he was addicted to Jack and smiled at the idea, thinking _so what, if that was addiction then let me stay addicted._ There was a high cost but everything considered it was a price he was prepared to pay.

Squaring his shoulders and taking a breath, he reached out and touched the mirror.

* * *

The glyphs began to glow as the huge wheel turned. No one was due back that day so the control room duty officer hit the alarm and the sound of running feet hit the Gateroom at the same time as the roar of the forming wormhole. The whoosh of the illusory water pulled back as the event horizon settled into place in the centre of the ring.

A few seconds after the SFs had surrounded the base of the ramp, Colonel Jack O'Neill ran in wondering what the hell was going on. All teams were home and the next mission wasn't due out until tomorrow; it seemed the perfect time for Siler to work on the minor problem with the iris. Damn he should've known.

There was the familiar distortion in the centre of the Gate as someone popped through and the silence was broken by the sounds of weapons being adjusted as the SFs took aim at the interloper.

Jack stared in shock at the man standing large as life and twice as welcome.

"Daniel! My god, Daniel!" Jack moved forward waving at the SFs to lower their weapons.

Daniel smiled in grateful relief and walked down the ramp to meet his friend, hoping against hope that this might be the one, the reality for which he'd been searching for so long but even he was surprised by the exuberance of the welcome as Jack grabbed him and pulled him into a bear hug. As he automatically returned the hug he experienced a flashback to a day over three years ago and his heart beat faster as he recalled how he had been welcomed in a similar fashion when Jack had coined the unforgettable nickname of Spacemonkey. He felt tears prick at his eyes at the knowledge that this was not _his_ Jack, though the closeness felt so damned good! Pulling himself together he wondered if the quantum mirror had deposited him in yet another out-of-time-sequence reality. Could this be the time of Apophis's attack on Earth? Damn if this was, then the other Daniel was due back too and he couldn't stay here.

A familiar voice broke into his thoughts. "Colonel!"

Jack froze as the General's voice pulled him back to his senses. He realised exactly what he was doing and where he was doing it and _who_ he was doing it to. _It's impossible, it can't be!_ He pulled back looking into the face before him, eyes wide.

"Daniel?" he queried, taking in the shorter hair and different ...aura of the other man.

Before Daniel could reply, General Hammond's voice cut the air. "Colonel O'Neill, report!"

"Yes, sir, sorry sir!" He swallowed, glancing once again at the young man to whom he was still standing so very close. "This young man appears to be Dr. Daniel Jackson. I don't know how..." he turned the statement into a question, raising his eyebrow at Daniel.

Again the General interrupted, "Colonel, it was your own report that stated Dr. Jackson died whilst on Abydos during the original mission. Now you state this man is ..."

_Died on Abydos? My god!_ "Excuse me, General Hammond but Colonel O'Neill is correct," he smiled at Jack, "but I'm afraid he is also mistaken."

At that cryptic statement Jack's eyebrow once more climbed towards his hairline and General Hammond moved forward, signalling two SFs to accompany him.

In an uncompromising voice, the General asked, "Who, precisely, are you?"

"I _am_ Daniel Jackson, just not the one that Jack knows - knew?" this time it was Daniel who raised an eyebrow, before continuing. "I have travelled through the Quantum Mirror from an alternative universe and then used the Gate to travel here. I could have used the GDO from the Land of Light but apparently your iris was inoperable."

"Mirror, alternate universe? I'm sorry Dr. Jackson, if that is who you truly are but I have never heard of any such ...device."

"You didn't come across one on PR3 233?" asked Daniel frowning.

"I don't believe we have travelled to that address," replied a puzzled Jack. "Captain Carter would know, sir."

"The captain is due to report in shortly and meanwhile we can confirm the records, Colonel."

"Sam Carter?" Daniel queried, _Captain Carter?_ "She could also confirm the alternative universe theory; she was the one who explained it to me in the first place."

"I think we should retire to the briefing room," Hammond said, adding to the SFs, "bring him."

* * *

To begin with, the briefing was somewhat uncomfortable. Hammond had never met Daniel Jackson and had only Colonel O'Neill's experience as evidence. He had, of course, seen file photographs of the man and though the similarity of appearance was obvious, so were the differences.

Jack now seemed somewhat uncomfortable and kept glancing in Daniel's direction and knowing Jack, _his_ Jack, so well, Daniel realised he was embarrassed, probably about the very public hug in the Gateroom. Daniel, meeting the glances with a steady gaze, also wondered if the man had registered Daniel's own enthusiastic response.

The general had checked the records and confirmed that no mission had taken place, or was scheduled for the planet Daniel had mentioned. This confused Daniel and they had just begun to discuss the discrepancy when Captain Carter arrived.

Daniel's pleased "Sam!" was only met with a confused stare and he gave a shrug and turned to the general. "If I may, sir?"

Hammond hesitated but was well aware neither he nor Jack could ask the question clearly so he nodded his permission for Daniel to continue.

"Sam, Captain Carter, my name is Daniel Jackson," he hesitated at her gasp but when she didn't speak he continued. "I have travelled here from an alternate universe through a device called a quantum mirror. It's an alien piece of technology we found, originally, about three years ago during our first year of going through the Gate..."

"Three years ago!" Jack exclaimed.

"Well, the first one yes. The one I used, we found only last year."

"Dr. Jackson, we have only been using the Gate for missions for eight months," stated the General, an air of both confusion and doubt overlying his words.

"Eight months?" Daniel asked surprised.

"This is just so damned confusing," Jack stated.

"Yes, and fascinating," Sam said. "Tell me, doctor, this other reality, the one you come from, is it much different, I mean aside from this obvious time difference?"

"Captain, we have yet to confirm that this is Dr. Jackson. I take it you are aware of this so-called alternate reality theory?"

"Oh yes, sir. It is well established..."

Daniel tuned out the rest of Sam's explanation; letting his eyes track Jack and his mind wander over the possibilities. Firstly, Daniel was dead in this reality, which meant he could stay if he wanted, providing of course Hammond agreed. Secondly, even though this Daniel had died during the first mission - how, he needed to find out - it was still apparent that he and Jack had been firm friends. Then, if he had died, what happened on Abydos? Had Jack detonated the bomb? What happened to Sha're and the others? How were they able to go through the Gate without the information from the Cartouche room? What about...

"Dr. Jackson!" Hammond's voice interrupted his deliberations. "If you could pay attention."

"Sorry, sir but the differences, there are so many questions."

"My point exactly, doctor," he said sharply. Daniel visibly winced and Hammond continued, "You have a problem?"

"Oh, no," he almost laughed. "No, sir. It's just I'm not used to you calling me doctor, you tend to call me Daniel, or son, you only call me doctor when I'm in trouble."

Jack laughed out loud and Hammond flashed him a disapproving look. "Sorry, sir but it's obvious he knows you!"

"Yes, well maybe. Let's get back on topic."

After that things seemed more comfortable. The general was quite prepared to accept his story since Carter had confirmed the science, or at least the theories and it was quite obvious from the interaction and the similarities that this man knew them all, even though only Jack O'Neill knew him.

They gave him a thorough run down of the situation on this Earth and then he told them an outline of his story.

Time was twisted again as the Daniel Jackson of this universe had died on Abydos a little over nine months earlier. He had died from injuries sustained trying to get the body of Sha're back to Ra's ship and into the sarcophagus.

Jack never knew the exact details but while he was trying to get the damned bomb to work properly Daniel returned, alone and badly injured, through the rings. All Jack knew was that Ra had found him and tore the body of Sha're from his grasp using the damned hand device thingy - Jack's phrase - on him before physically throwing him across the room. Either left for dead or for later punishment, Jack thought the latter, Ra had left him. Knowing it was impossible for him to help Sha're now, Daniel had dragged himself to the rings to warn Jack and together they had thought of the idea of the rings and the bomb. Ra had died as his ship exploded and Jack tried to get Daniel home for help but it had been too late and he had died on the journey home through the Gate.

Jack told the story in a cold unemotional voice but the listening Daniel understood only too well what that experience had cost Jack. What he wanted to know and couldn't discover in present company, was the relationship between the two men. Obviously they had been friends, pretty close friends from Jack's reaction on seeing him, closer than he and Jack had been during the Abydos mission certainly. Yet, clearly Daniel had also been very much concerned with Sha're, enough to risk his life as he had been himself, all those years ago. These were questions he wanted to get answers to but how could he simply ask, even in private.

Next he learned of the fate of Abydos and the Stargate programme; and Jack. Jack's first concern had been to get Daniel back for medical treatment and even though he had failed to save his friend's life he had attempted to achieve his goals in relation to the people of Abydos. He'd lobbied hard for help to aid these distant people and the Gate had been kept open under West's control while scientists and archaeologists, under Catherine's guidance had gone through, while the powers that be had taken it all under advisement.

Eventually, after much discussion, all of it above Jack's head he'd cheerfully admitted, there had been major changes. West was replaced by Hammond whose gentler command attitude was considered more appropriate in the unusual circumstances. He was due to retire but agreed to take over at least for a time, while the project was set into motion. Catherine was all but retired too but retained an ad-hoc consultant position. Captain Carter was brought in as the scientific expert on the Gate and a small team of archaeologists recruited to advise and perform research on the base. Jack suggested their use on missions through the Gate as and when necessary.

One of Catherine's last discoveries on Abydos had been a papyrus in the pyramid used as the landing site for Ra's craft. It was a list of about thirty cartouches and it proved to be the most valuable discovery of all.

"A list of Stargate addresses," the general had said with a touch of pride, "it gave us a whole new purpose and it was the final piece that balanced the decision in our favour to keep the Gate open as a viable proposition."

"Ah, so no-one found the Cartouche room then?" Daniel asked gently.

"Cartouche Room, Dr. Jackson?"

"Yes, there is an underground complex I found while I stayed on Abydos," at Jack's frown he quickly said, "I'll explain that later. In the complex there is a huge room, its walls covered in hieroglyphic cartouches. There are hundreds of addresses there General, so many that Sam, Captain Carter, had to devise a computer programme to enable their use. I have been to many of those worlds as part of SG1."

That statement started the questions rolling and some hours later they all sat back in their chairs feeling stunned and afraid. They thought they were safe with the death of Ra and the few planets they had visited were peaceful. There had been some odd stories and rumours they'd heard but they thought that was all they were.

Now they knew better. Ra was only one of a race of terrible beings who threatened the stability of the entire universe. They had created an iris out of the simple common sense need for security not realising how vital a piece of equipment that was.

The reason for Daniel's escape, the destruction of his SGC, the invasion of his world was hard to accept but the evidence was before their eyes and he could prove it; unfortunately they knew they couldn't afford not to believe him.

* * *

Eventually the General realised how exhausted Daniel was and suggested they take a break and resume the next morning. Jack asked permission to take Daniel to the commissary for some food to which Hammond agreed, with the suggestion that his second-in-command then assign him to a VIP room. Daniel admitted he was camping out on what he now called home and it had been a while since he'd slept in a real bed.

Carter wanted to do some reading up on this whole alternate reality theory.

Jack admitted to a curiosity about his friendship with a Jaffa, the only ones he'd ever seen were on Abydos and then he was doing his damnedest to kill them.

Daniel was both excited and scared at the prospect of some time alone with Jack. He was so hopeful that at last he'd found the correct reality. True, all Jack had shown him so far was friendship but with a closeness he hadn't had with his Jack at the same point in their relationship. So far all the signs were promising.

The meal in the commissary was a little awkward, Daniel's presence attracting attention that he should be used to but that he found disconcerting. Daniel was also trying to control his impatience to _really_ talk to Jack but this was definitely not the venue for _that_ talk, though where, when and how he would pluck up courage for this was just as disconcerting.

In the end, he concentrated on telling Jack how they'd met Teal'c and how he'd saved all their lives by turning against his false god. Of course the tale brought up even more questions, the most telling, about the fact that Sha're had not only been alive at this point in Daniel's life but was his wife. Daniel told Jack it was not a subject he wished to discuss in the commissary but said he would explain more about that and other things in the privacy of his VIP room. That was the signal to quickly finish the meal and let Jack lead him to his room.

The room was very familiar, identical even down to the décor of those in Daniel's own SGC and he looked up into the far corner and saw the blinking light of the camera.

"Is that necessary?" he asked Jack pointing to the camera. "There are one or two personal matters to discuss and I wouldn't like them recorded. Please, Jack."

"I'll probably get a slapped wrist for this," Jack said as he reached up and disconnected the cabling, "but it wouldn't be the first time."

"Thanks."

"Anyway, some of the stuff I wanna talk about, _I_ don't want on film."

That statement lifted Daniel's spirits. If Jack wanted to talk off the record then it had to be personal stuff, didn't it?

"What kind of stuff, Jack?"

"First, about Sha're. She was your wife and you stayed with her on Abydos for over a year. She must have been really special eh?"

"Yes, she was but you must've known that. Didn't your Daniel receive her as gift...? A wife too? He cared for her, after all. He risked his life for her, died for her."

"No. I mean he took responsibility for her; that's true and in the end he gave his life for her. She was offered to him and he refused, said he couldn't accept the gift of a person it was against his principles. Took a while to get his point across but in the end they understood; her father couldn't just take her back, he would lose face. Daniel agreed to keep her by him as an adviser, to help him with the language and the interaction between the Abydonians and Ra. He planned to give her back when it was time to leave."

"Oh my god, I tried to refuse but couldn't make myself understood and I was afraid of what might happen to her so I accepted."

"But why did you keep her? Why did you stay? You could still be there now if that other Goa'uld hadn't taken her, couldn't you?"

"I liked and admired her and she cared for me, she died for me in the pyramid. I took her body to the sarcophagus as did your Daniel but I managed to revive her before he found us. Ra attacked me with the ribbon device too but I managed to escape with Sha're and then you and I destroyed Ra."

"But why didn't you come home with me?"

_Because I didn't realise at the time that I would be coming home with *you*._ "I had nothing particular to go home to but I had something, someone who wanted me to stay. Besides, I had the chance to study a way of life that has been extinct on this planet for thousands of years. It was ..."

"You had nothing to go home to? Our friendship meant nothing to you then?"

"Jack, I'm not _your_ Daniel," he softly reminded him. "Jack and I weren't that close, not then. It seems you and he were much better friends than we were. Our friendship didn't really take off till after I returned, after Sha're was taken, though he did admit that by the time he left he did like me and he wished we'd parted under better circumstances, seems he missed me," the archaeologist added with a grin.

"Yet, I got the impression from your story that you were close, very close."

"Oh, you have no idea," Daniel said absently, his mind on how close they sometimes were.

Jack's eyes narrowed at the comment and he was about to speak again when there was a knock at the door.

Annoyed at the bad timing, he yelled, "enter!"

An SF opened the door and said, "Sorry to interrupt, sir but Captain Carter asked me to remind you that you are going to be late and that Mrs. O'Neill had said no excuses would be permissible today."

"Damn! Thank you," he said to the SF who quickly backed out.

Daniel felt a hand grip his heart and squeeze. "Mrs O'Neill, would that be Sarah?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, that's right. Did you ever meet her?"

"You're still married?" He saw his dream die yet again and he didn't think he could take anymore. _I can't keep doing this, I thought I could, but how many times do I have get kicked in the teeth._ "I...I have to go. I..I..." He couldn't think of anything to say as he rose to his feet and backed slowly towards the door. _Maybe I should just go back and stay there, let everything come to a natural end._

"Daniel? What is it? What's wrong?" Jack said jumping to his feet.

"I...I. Jack and Sarah split...divorced. I ...can't...not again, I don't ..."

"God, Daniel, no," Jack said blocking his exit. "I stayed with Sarah because I thought it was what he'd want. He tried to make me see that shutting her out after...after Charlie died was a mistake, that we needed each other. She'd left before that mission but after Daniel...after he died I went to see her and we eventually decided to try again. The truth is, I did it for Daniel."

"I don't understand."

"Don't you? Look, please, I have to go now but I'm asking you to stay. Let's talk again. We should _really_ talk, okay?"

"You're offering to talk, _really_ talk," Daniel smiled fondly. "Very well, we'll talk... tomorrow?" Jack nodded and the younger man continued, "but then I must go back."

* * *

Jack left in a hurry but his backward glance had Daniel in no doubt that he had a lot more he wanted to say.

Daniel smiled at the idea of a talkative Jack. Not that the man couldn't talk, it was damned difficult to get him to shut up sometimes but that was just filling in the silence. To get him to actually communicate his thoughts and feelings? That was like pulling teeth. The more Daniel thought over the conversation, the more he realised there was an undercurrent. Even as he'd been keeping something back, Jack had also danced round the edges of something. Daniel was afraid to admit to himself what he thought it might be but he resolved there and then that he would find out.

He suddenly realised he'd been prepared to give up at the first mention of a problem. He'd gotten so used to disappointment and the despair that caused it, that he hadn't even been prepared to face the problem. What was it he'd thought earlier? Oh yes, let it come to a natural end? What would that be for me, dying bit-by-bit, alone and wretched on that devastated world? When had he ever been so spineless?

He was under no time constraints in this reality. No risk of entropic cascade failure, he could stay here as long as he wished. If he eventually learned that Jack didn't want him then he could still leave, return through the mirror and continue his search. No way would he leave without that definite answer. True, he could be reading more into Jack's attitude than was really there, imagining more from Jack's unspoken words but he would make no assumptions, he would wait to hear what Jack would say...and do.

Do? What could Jack do when he was still married to Sarah? He said something about only getting back together with her because of Daniel; what exactly did that mean? Whatever it meant, could he really pursue Jack when he was still married to Sarah? It struck Daniel that he would do just that; he'd been through too much to give up without a fight. He'd always considered himself a moral man and he was surprised to find that morality could be thrown out of the window when his most ardent desires were involved.

He could do nothing until Jack returned and that wouldn't be until the morning. He should try and get some sleep but he wasn't sure he would be able to. He hadn't had a good night's sleep in longer than he could remember and he doubted if his present problems would be conducive to a good rest this night.

* * *

Jack wanted to arrive at the Mountain early the next morning in the hope of seeing Daniel before the general called the briefing. However, Sarah delayed him demanding answers that he couldn't give, promises he couldn't make. He couldn't understand why she kept doing this; making demands she knew were beyond him. Their reconciliation was already shaky and it was as if she was placing stumbling blocks between them. Damn, he'd spent months thinking about this and he refused to think about it again today.

He had other things to concern him today and he couldn't afford to be distracted. He knew what he was considering was technically betraying his marriage vows but the state of his marriage at the moment the only reason he and Sarah had not already filed for divorce was the intervention of the man - all right, the doppelganger of the man. The problem was when he'd fallen for Daniel, Jack and his wife were all ready separated and Sarah was considering divorce anyway.

Jack had been bowled over almost from the first time he'd met Daniel Jackson. The only other person who had ever affected him so strongly had been Sarah, which considering the present state of the relationship was not necessarily the ideal recommendation.

Then again, the state of their relationship had been very good until he had made that terrible error which resulted in the death of their son. Sarah claimed not to blame him, he carried enough guilt for both of them, yet no relationship could survive such a blow and remain the same. He had certainly changed as had Sarah and therefore the interaction was different. He could no longer react to Sarah as he used to because the responsibility he felt for the accident coloured his attitude and she had no recourse but to react differently in response.

Daniel had recognised that Jack was suffering even before they left for Abydos. During the couple of weeks he worked on the translation of the Cartouche from the cover stones, he spent most of the time hidden in the depths of the base under the mountain and the only time he ever emerged from his self-obsessed study was for coffee. Jack noted the seemingly haphazard routine and realised one particular jaunt for a coffee refill was usually around midnight and he made it his business after the first few days to be in the commissary when Daniel came calling. They began to talk and then Daniel would stop for a short break and a chat with Jack until before he even realised it, Jack was unburdening himself to the gentle young man. He had never been the kind of man to broadcast his feelings; in fact that was one of his wife's complaints that he shut her out even before Charlie had died and since... Yet somehow this virtual stranger had touched something within Jack and unlocked his most secret place, freeing him from his fears. Jack felt closer to the young archaeologist than he had to anyone else he'd ever met.

When Daniel finally broke the code Jack felt very proud. Daniel admitted to him it was as much a fluke of timing than anything else but Jack said it was more than that, it took a mind of great ingenuity to link such wide ranging facts and come up with the correct solution. Then when he requested permission to accompany the team on the trip through the Gate and General West left the decision up to him, Jack was in a quandary. He dreaded the idea of Daniel going into danger but he also didn't have the heart to refuse him when he was clearly so excited at the prospect. Daniel turned those large beguiling blue eyes on him and Jack simply melted, agreeing before he even knew he'd spoken.

When Jack finally extricated himself from Sarah and arrived at the SGC, it was to find that Sam had taken Daniel to the commissary for breakfast. He found them sitting at a table along the side wall, Daniel with his back to the room. They were talking animatedly and as he drew near, Jack realised they were discussing the alternate realities and while he'd first assumed it was the science of the thing Sam was interested in, the actual topic of conversation was the differences Daniel had encountered. Specifically what the various Sam Carter's were like.

"I don't think I can really go into too much detail about individuals," Daniel was saying as Jack made his presence known.

"And why not?" Jack asked.

"My question exactly," Sam said.

"Oh, Jack, still good at stealthy approaches I see," Daniel grinned.

"It's the training," they said together and Jack laughed at that but he wondered just how well this man really knew him. Looking into Daniel's eyes he also wondered if he'd really fooled the archaeologist when he'd slipped silently up to the table. He had the uncomfortable feeling that the young man had known he was there all along.

"Look, it wouldn't be right to tell someone their possible future. I know three years of your... counterparts' lives," Daniel explained. "Besides there were enough differences in the various realities that I have visited to realise that probably none of it would apply to you anyway."

"Even people's characters and attitudes?" asked Jack.

"Well yes, depending on circumstances which influence their outlook."

"Don't see it would make that much of a difference," Sam commented.

"You'd be surprised!"

"You can't just say that, it's too ...sweeping. Give us an example," Jack prompted.

"Okay, take you for instance. You have been either married to Sarah, divorced from Sarah, married to another person altogether, or in a serious relationship with yet another person."

"What! When...damn it, who?" Jack stammered decidedly concerned.

"I'm not saying anything else. That was just to give you an idea." Daniel held Jack's gaze and the older man couldn't help but wonder what exactly it was that he wasn't prepared to say.

"Sir, we must go or we'll be late for the briefing," Sam said interrupting his thoughts.

* * *

Three hours later they were getting ready to go through the Gate to Abydos. The general wanted confirmation from Daniel and decided the best example would be the Cartouche Room. If there were half as many Stargate addresses on those walls as Daniel had said, the future of the programme would be ensured for the foreseeable future. Hammond thought it likely they would need more teams too. At the moment they only had recourse to six permanent teams, two more were available in emergency situations by drawing on the back-up personnel whereas according to Dr. Jackson, his SGC had began by running ten teams and before too long had twenty teams in the field.

Dr. Jackson had given them more detailed information on the threat of this parasitic race, the Goa'uld and suggested that as in his universe, Ra's rival, Apophis, would likely attack them sometime down the road. In the majority of the alternative universes that he had visited the Goa'uld made such an attack and they should at least be prepared. Daniel had already given them some Gate addresses that he knew from memory, ones that could lead to some very important alliances, though he suggested that perhaps they ought to wait a little until their programme was better organised before approaching certain of these alien races.

Hammond decided that Jackson could be trusted; there was just something about the man, together with Jack O'Neill's obvious belief in him. The general checked Jackson's file again and certain aspects of his background and found nothing to dissuade him from his new found opinion. That being the case, he was quite prepared to send this unusual visitor out with O'Neill's team to Abydos, where he would direct them to this Cartouche room and film all the walls so the addresses could be downloaded and the expansion of their own dialling programme could be started. Carter was all but jumping at the prospect of taking on such a project.

As they were going to a planet they knew was safe, the colonel didn't consider it necessary to take a full team and therefore he left his two junior officers, Lieutenants Johnson and Casey behind and taking just Daniel and Carter. The general was in full agreement, though he did suggest that on this occasion it might be wise to avoid the Abydonians if at all possible as it could be difficult to explain the presence of a man whose death they were fully aware of. The plan, therefore, was to head straight from the Stargate pyramid to the underground complex containing the Cartouche room, which according to Daniel was only about a three-mile hike. There was a possibility of some locals being in attendance in the pyramid but it was more likely it would be empty as it wasn't usual procedure to guard the place.

Daniel explained that on the Abydos he called home, the place was not guarded continually but had only been so after he'd re-opened the gate when Jack had left Daniel there with his new wife.

At this point Sam asked, perplexed, "Daniel, how does it feel going back into your own past?"

"After travelling to so many different realities I do sometimes find it difficult to differentiate between my own past and present and those of the other Daniels I have met or whose lives I have learned about. It reminds me of those distorted mirrors in fairgrounds, you know?"

"Is the prospect of going back to Abydos worse?" Jack asked.

Considering the question carefully, Daniel looked at Jack who held his gaze. "Depends," he finally answered.

"On what?"

"On what happens there."

* * *

The gate sprung into life and disturbed the quiet of the empty room. Three figures emerged dressed in desert fatigues and one man slipped ahead to check the DHD while the others checked to ensure the room was secure.

Daniel was relieved to find no-one watching, as he didn't relish the idea of having to explain to people he felt he knew that 'he' was not the Daniel they knew. The people of Abydos were basically simple folk and it would have been difficult to make them understand.

When Jack was ready, Daniel led the way out of the pyramid in the direction of the underground complex. Unbidden came the memory of the last time he had made this walk, the excitement at showing his Jack and Sam the map room then his horror on returning to the Gate room to find Sha're and Skaa'ra missing and many dead or injured.

"Are you all right?" Jack suddenly asked.

"Uh, what?"

"You slowed down considerably and I wondered if you were okay," Jack explained.

"Oh, sorry. Yes, I had a kind of flashback to when Sha're and her brother were taken. Just like this, I was taking you, Sam and Kawalski to show..." he swallowed and Jack understood how after all this time the memory still hurt. "Going back, I was feeling great, Sam was excited and even you seemed pleased and then...we were so close and we heard the gunfire, we ran and ran but it was too late, too late." Daniel's voice faded as he remembered the shock and the pain.

Jack didn't say anything knowing there was nothing he could say but for perhaps the first time he understood how much Daniel's wife had meant to him and doubts beset him. Could a man who so clearly loved his wife also be interested in a man? Fool, why not? You loved Sarah and now you love him. He realised that was the first time he'd ever actually admitted that to himself in actual words and after a moment of surprise he smiled. He glanced over at Daniel and found the younger man staring at him. A feeling of guilt overwhelmed him at his own happiness when his friend was remembering such grief. To his surprise Daniel suddenly smiled back at him.

"Where were you?" Daniel asked.

"Remembering the good times, before ...he died." Jack wasn't prepared to admit the truth, not yet and not with Carter nearby. Neither was he exactly lying because as he said the words his mind flew back to the first evening on Abydos all those months ago when they'd sat across from each other and joked as they made friends with the Abydonians. "Remember that first evening by the fire?" he asked wistfully.

"I remember my first evening here, yes but Jack, for me that was five years ago."

That statement was like a bucket of cold water thrown in Jack's face as it brought him to reality.

"God! This is so difficult. You are Daniel and yet you're not."

"Does it matter?" Daniel asked quietly from just behind where he had stopped.

Jack turned back and looking directly into those eyes that had always had the power to captivate him and just as quietly he answered, "No."

They stared at each other, their eyes saying more than words ever could.

"Daniel!" Sam's voice shattered the spell and the younger man pulled his eyes from Jack to see where the captain was a few yards ahead.

"Just a moment, captain," Jack yelled, irritated by the interruption of his SIC.

"Sir."

"I'll get permission to take you out of the mountain. Come back to my place tonight?" Jack said urgently.

"Sarah?" was all Daniel could say.

"She won't be there. We had ...words this morning. She went back to her father to think about ...things. She's done that a lot lately."

Daniel raised an eyebrow in query but said nothing.

"You'll come?" Jack pressed.

"Yes"

* * *

Sam could hardly believe the size of the room Daniel finally led them to and she was happily filming wall after wall, chatting excitedly to him about alignment and planetary shifts. The archaeologist was doing his best to answer her but his mind was on more personal matters, like the possibility of spending the evening talking with Jack.

Jack's place... would it be the house in which they - he and his Jack - had made a home together or would it be somewhere entirely different; the home of Jack, Sarah and ...Charlie?

Jack was ostensibly keeping watch but was mostly watching Daniel, understanding dawning that he could 'read' the younger man's distraction and revelling in the knowledge that he was the cause of it. He just hoped that he could convince Hammond to release Daniel into his care for the night. The general did seem to be quite taken with the young man, from what Daniel had said almost as much as the commander from Daniel's own erstwhile SGC.

After what seemed like the longest four hours of his life, Jack was reasonably able to call a halt and pull Carter from her new playground. Daniel gave him a grateful smile and they headed for home.

It was almost ten by the time they arrived at Jack's house that night. Although the General readily agreed that Daniel could be released into Jack's custody after taking one look at Carter's beaming face, he still insisted on a quick debriefing following the ubiquitous trip to the infirmary.

Daniel had been wondering if he would see Janet Fraiser there. In his reality she had joined the programme a few months after they began travelling through the Gate but of course, that would have been about a year into the future of this reality. Disappointed however, Daniel had never met the CMO who examined him.

As Jack pulled into his driveway Daniel leaned forward in his seat staring at the house before him.

"It's identical," he said, awe in his voice.

"What?" Jack turned to look at his young friend.

"I didn't know what you called home; whether it was the house you shared with Sarah and Charlie. But this, this is the house Jack bought after his separation."

Jack turned to look at his home. "Yeah, I did. Sarah still lives in our old house and her father moved in with her after I left." He turned again to look at Daniel, the emotion evident in his deep brown eyes. "I ...couldn't go back there even now, too many memories. Sarah says the memories keep her going."

"Is that one of the reasons she has things to think over?" Daniel asked gently.

Jack saw that this wasn't a casual question, the answer mattered greatly to Daniel and he understood that the archaeologist was finding it difficult to reconcile himself to the fact that Jack was still married.

"Come on, I'll tell you everything inside."

Daniel followed him into the house and without thinking, casually walked into the kitchen and began to make coffee. Jack leaned against the doorframe and watched him thinking how good, how right it seemed to see him there. After a moment Daniel stopped and backed away.

"I'm ...I'm sorry," he stammered, "I wasn't thinking."

"Don't apologise, it looked perfect," Jack said smiling.

Smiling in return, Daniel asked, "Should I continue then?"

"You make good coffee? I only ever saw Daniel drinking coffee in the commissary, never saw him make it."

"Oh, it's an art form and I'm an old master."

"Sweet! In that case, please carry on."

Realising Daniel had hesitated, Jack asked, "What is it?"

"He used to say that," Daniel whispered.

"Say what?"

"Sweet."

"Fer cryin' out loud!"

"And that!"

"Yeah sure you betcha," Jack grinned.

Daniel laughed. "Should've known."

"Yep, you should."

"Oh, this feels so good," breathed Daniel.

Jack moved so near he could feel the heat from the other man and he longed to reach out and touch him but he realised he needed to sort things out first. He backed away slowly and watched as Daniel poured out the coffee seemingly unaware.

Daniel turned, handing him a cup and Jack who led the way to the living room.

Indicating that Daniel should sit on the sofa, Jack leaned against the mantle of the fireplace.

"Sarah," Jack suddenly said. "I told you I would explain about that."

Daniel halted; cup halfway to his mouth, when Jack spoke her name, now he looked up at Jack.

"Do you remember, yesterday I said I did it for Daniel, attempted to try and build some bridges?" Daniel nodded. Jack took another sip of coffee. "This is good. She left me weeks before Daniel and I even met, said she didn't blame me but she couldn't forget what I'd done. I couldn't forget either and I did blame myself. I must've been hell to live with. I left and she thought it was for her sake, which it was but it was for me too. I couldn't be near her either, just drove home how much I'd fucked up.

"When I got called back to duty it forced me to pull myself together, least on the surface. It took Daniel to see below that, to see I was hurting. He made me talk; I've never talked to anyone the way I talked to him. To _you_."

Daniel gazed up at Jack and was held by the look in his eyes. Jack swallowed, dropped his eyes to his coffee and took a deep draught.

"When we were on Abydos he tried to make me see that I'd not given Sarah a chance to help me. I was so busy suffering that I never allowed the possibility of help."

Daniel smiled and nodded. "I said something similar to my Jack; he told me he'd only make things worse for her. He did tell me later though that he went and spoke to her and at least they parted on better terms."

"I didn't answer him then, I had other things to think about at the time. Then later, after he was so badly hurt he made me promise I would try and reconcile with Sarah. He said I shouldn't be alone and in that he was right. He just didn't... He was hurting so much I'd have said anything. Later, after he'd ...gone, I swore to myself that I would keep my word to him, it was all I had left."

Jack glanced at Daniel but his chin was tucked into his chest and his eyes were down. With a sigh he continued, "I have tried, we both have. She knows it not gonna work but she's finding it hard to give up. She spends more time back with her father than she does here though. Trouble is we've both changed, there is too much between us now. I've... moved on."

Daniel looked up then and gazed directly into Jack's eyes and he saw the truth of that blazing back at him. Daniel rose and moved to stand in front of Jack.

"That's a lot of words for you, Jack," he said softly, tears beginning to swim in his eyes.

"Do you need any more words?" Jack murmured.

"No," the younger man said, raising a shaky hand towards Jack's cheek. "I want to touch you. It's been so long and I've been dying of loneliness. Can I touch you?"

Sucking in a breath, Jack said huskily, "Whatever you need."

As the tears slid down his cheeks, Daniel's fingers gently brushed Jack's cheek and drifted slowly over towards his lips. Jack's fingers reached out to catch the tears on Daniel's cheek and gently wipe them away but as he touched the young man, Daniel leaned into Jack's contact and sighed.

"I'm here, Daniel. No need for any more tears," Jack whispered against the fingers still caressing his mouth before he gently kissed each one.

"Oh, Jack. I'm not dreaming, tell me I'm not dreaming." Daniel leaned against Jack who swept him into his arms and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"If this is a dream then it must be mine."

"Oh, Jack, I want to touch you, to sense your heat, to feel your heart beating under my hand, to smell you on my skin, to taste you in my mouth, to know you're all around me and inside me. For you to understand that I'm only half alive without you."

"Oh god, Daniel! What you do to me and I've never even kissed you."

In answer Daniel pulled him even closer and pressed his mouth against Jack's, hard and demanding and Jack opened up inviting him inside. It had been a long time since Jack had held a man in his arms and even longer since he had kissed one. His experience with men had always been expedient; a quick release with little emotional involvement and kissing was rarely involved. He had never in his life been kissed like this. It was as if he could taste the passion in Daniel's kiss, feel his need in the press of his lips and the pressure of his body as he pushed against Jack.

They both gasped as they broke apart panting for air and Daniel sagged against Jack and the colonel realised he was crying again.

"Crap, Daniel, I never understood what torment you endured. Come here," he said leading the younger man back to the sofa and pulling him down into his embrace. "Hush, love you'll never be alone again, I promise."

"Lo...ve?" Daniel murmured brokenly.

"What other word did you think I had to say to you?" Jack asked softly.

"Needed to hear you say it. I love you Jack, so much."

"I know," he said tightening his arms, "I know."

Daniel burrowed into Jack's chest wrapping his arms around him and let himself feel. He felt the ice at his core melt and warm his soul and his heart swell and beat a steady rhythm to send the blood coursing through his veins and for the first time in months, he felt truly alive. Not just a shell moving and pretending at life.

Jack moved slightly, twisted his body and slid lower to lie flat on the sofa, cradling Daniel half alongside his length and half lying over him, arms wrapped around each other, legs entwined. He heard and felt the contented sigh from Daniel as if just to hold and be held was all he needed. Jack leaned over and kissed Daniel's hair, shorter hair than he remembered and he realised the Daniel he loved, truly loved, was the one in his arms and not the one lost and remembered.

"I love you, Daniel, do you hear, I love _you_!"

Daniel looked up at him then, "What... what are you saying?"

"I'm telling you that _you_ are the Daniel I love. The love I felt for the man I lost pales into comparison. You are so much ...more."

"I am the man he would've become a few hard years from now," he said, bitterness tingeing the words.

"Perhaps; all I know is how I feel for you, now." He leaned down to capture those pouting lips and this time it was Daniel who allowed Jack to explore his mouth, Daniel who reeled under the emotions roiling through him and when they separated his eyes were sparkling and his heart was beating loud and strong under Jack's hand resting on his shirt.

With a sigh Daniel snuggled down against Jack and both content in each others arms they drowsed from the emotional exhaustion.

* * *

"Oh my god Jack!" the shock in the voice snapped him awake and as he felt Daniel stir beside him he pressed a hand onto the back of his head, wanting him to stay down.

"Sarah," Jack said quietly, trying to keep calm as he twisted to sit beside Daniel.

"What the hell is this, Jack? Who is that man? What's going on?" Sarah laughed bitterly. "Or should I go with the obvious conclusion."

"Sarah, this is a very special friend of mine and..."

"Special friend? _That's_ a new term for it. To think I came here to apologise, to admit I went too far this morning. God! I knew there was something; I knew it! But god, I never thought you were...were gay!"

_Damn, damn, damn!_ "No, Sarah, whatever's between us has nothing to do with this. He's suffered a terrible loss." It was almost the truth he told himself. "He came here to..."

She gave a harsh laugh. "What's this then? Comfort? Oh, please Jack; don't lie, not to me. Lie to yourself if you must but I know you. You might still have your clothes on - god knows what I'd have found thirty minutes from now - but that ...embrace is _not_ for comfort."

Daniel looked up at Jack from under his lashes and unconsciously the older man smiled down at him.

Sarah also saw the smile and her stomach clenched; she thought she was going to be sick. She'd seen that smile before, only directed at her.

"Just exactly how long has this being going on? Were you having an affair with this... this person when Charlie was...is _he_ the reason you were so damned careless!"

Jack went rigid, not even Daniel's hand on his shoulder could comfort him.

"How could you say such a thing! To suggest that I would...Oh god, Sarah is that what you think of me now?"

Sarah said nothing, regretting her outburst but too angry to withdraw it.

Taking a deep breath, Jack continued. "I didn't even know Daniel then, we only met..."

"Daniel?" she interrupted, frowning. That was the name of the man Jack told her had helped him to see how wrong he had been and suggested they try again. "God, I don't believe this. He's the one isn't he?" Stepping closer to the sofa, she stared at the still recumbent man, "What sick game are you playing?"

Rising Daniel began, "No, please... I,"

"How dare you?" Jack's angry voice cut across Daniel's stammered reply. "Daniel is the most honourable man I ever met. Yes, I do love him but he knows what my past with you means to me, which was why he wanted me to try and make a go of it with you. This is the first time I've touched him and he only allowed it because I finally admitted things can never be as they were between us. I destroyed something we shared and I can never change that, never make it better. I can't comfort myself and I have nothing left to offer you except my sorrow."

"And what can you ...offer him?" she asked bitterly.

"My love," Jack replied quietly holding her gaze steadily.

She gasped at the raw emotion she saw in his eyes. She felt a flash of jealousy; pain for the loss of the man who had once been her husband but who she now realised she'd lost the day her son died. And whose fault was that, certainly not hers so why was she the one suffering again?

With one last look at the man who had taken what should have been hers, she turned to leave.

"Sarah, please, don't go, not like this!" Jack called stepping towards her.

Straightening her shoulders but not turning to look at him, she said, "I have nothing to stay for." She turned then and with a twist of her lips she said snidely, "I hope you and _Daniel_ will be very happy."

"Fuck! Sarah."

She laughed bitterly at that slip of the tongue, "Oh Jack, you're slipping. Time was you could do a lot better than that." She glanced over at Daniel standing by the sofa; he was looking over at Jack with a worried expression. "I'm sure you're both worried that I might go and cry bitter tears of disgust on the general's shoulder," she hesitated luxuriating in the only power she had left over Jack now, recognising by the thinning of his lips that he was afraid, a fear he would never voice.

She knew how much he loved his job and watched as he rose to his full height and waited for the axe to fall. With a shock she was beset by the sudden fear that he might risk it for this young man and she knew without doubt that she couldn't face knowing that truth. Hurriedly she continued, "But you needn't concern yourselves. I have no intention of telling the world that I was err... fucked off because my husband enjoyed fucking of another variety."

With that she whirled around and stormed out of the house. Jack followed and standing on the top step, watched her get into her car and drive away taking part of his life with her.

Daniel walked up and stood just inside the hallway watching Jack, noting the slight stoop of his shoulders. The older man turned and slowly walked back inside closing the door behind him.

"I'm sorry, Jack, so sorry. I shouldn't have come here. She could've come back at any time."

"Daniel, hush. You've nothing to apologise for. I invited you here. I wasn't expecting her back but that was no one's fault. I shouldn't have been such a coward about telling her it was over."

"Do you think she meant what she said, at the end?"

"Yes. She was always a very proud woman," Jack replied in a sad voice.

Shaking himself as if to shake off his past, Jack reached out and taking Daniel's hand led him back to the sofa. "Come here," he said pulling the young man down again. "Now, where we were?"

* * *

"I was just getting used to feeling someone's arms about me again," Daniel said with a sigh of contentment. "You remember earlier when I said I was dying of loneliness?"

"Mmm," Jack said, lips pressing against Daniel's hair.

"I wasn't being dramatic, I meant it. I have been alone for months; even when I visited other realities I was an outsider, always pressing my face against the glass looking at what was beyond my reach. I've been fighting my own despair, forcing myself to keep going through that damned mirror, hoping that one day I would find the right Jack. Of course, I knew that simply being another Jack O'Neill wasn't enough. He had to be the true doppelganger of the man I loved, who would want me and love me as much as I needed him."

"And do you love _me_ , Daniel?" There was uncertainty in Jack's voice.

Daniel smiled and twisted to kiss Jack softly before replying, "Oh yes, _my_ Jack. You are no copy; you are as original as he was. I will always love him, as I believe there will always be a place in your heart for Sarah but I have fallen in love with _you_."

"I needed to hear that," Jack said, pushing back the collar of Daniel's shirt to rain kisses along the velvet skin.

Daniel arched his neck to allow Jack better access. "Oh, god, it's been so long since I've felt so ...wanted, so loved. Love me, Jack, love me."

"Daniel, if only you knew how I've longed to touch you, to take you and make you mine. You've haunted my dreams and invaded my waking moments. Once you're mine I'll never let you go."

"I have no wish to be free...I want to belong...I want to be yours." Daniel filled each hesitation with a kiss, each more passionate than the last, till they lay wrapped up in each other's arms, their tongues as entwined as their bodies.

Jack's fingers began unfastening the buttons on Daniel's shirt, caressing the soft skin of his throat and his chest until, with tenderness inherent of a sensitivity not apparent in the gruff soldier, he caressed the sensitive nipples. Daniel's back arched off the sofa with a soft cry of "Oh god!" as the sensation went straight to his groin.

Smiling at the effect he was having on the younger man, Jack leaned down and replaced his fingers with his lips and kissed and laved at the nipples one after the other. Moving his now free fingers down Daniel's body enjoying the sensation of finally touching the man he loved so much, he reached his target and began to unbutton the archaeologist's pants.

Daniel was in heaven. He had missed this so much. The touch was a little gentler, the taste a little different but the sensations coursing through him were so familiar. As Jack finally unfastened his shirt and skin met skin, Daniel felt fire racing along his nerve endings and he moaned in appreciation. He almost leapt off the sofa when Jack kissed his nipples and he writhed under the older man's ministrations as his hands slipped inside his pants. Jack toyed with him, unbuttoning his pants and running his hands around the waistband, dipping down his back and teasing the cleft and then moving to his front and playing with his pubic hair.

By this time Daniel was moaning and pleading, "Jack, for god's sake, please...oh that feels so wonderful...oh, god, god...Jack." Then he felt bereft as suddenly Jack was gone. Daniel opened eyes he didn't remember closing. "Jack, what's ...wrong?" he gasped.

"Nothing," Jack replied, stretching out a hand to the younger man. "Just need more room. Wanna make this good. It's our first time, Daniel and I want it memorable."

Smiling, Daniel took the proffered hand and Jack pulled him up, slipping a hand round his waist. Leaning over and kissing him, Daniel stroked his tongue against Jack's as the older man opened up to let him in, lifting his arms to passionately pull the younger closer. A second later Jack felt puffs of air fill his mouth as Daniel giggled and then pulled back before looking down at himself. Jack followed his gaze and saw Daniel's pants around his ankles. Jack had been holding them in place with his arm around Daniel's waist and his exuberant embrace sent them tumbling to the floor.

"Oh well," Daniel said kicking them away, "save us time later."

"If that's the idea, let's save more time," Jack grinned, stepping back to pull his tee over his head. Daniel laughed and soon both men were discarding clothes as they slowly made their way to Jack's bedroom.

With arms round each other's waists they entered the bedroom and Daniel glanced round to see how much he recognised. Jack watched him, seeing only the man of his dreams naked and gorgeous in his bedroom.

"God, but you're beautiful," he said huskily.

Daniel stopped his visual exploration of the room and turned his eyes on Jack instead, smiling. "And you, my love are a sight for sore eyes. Come here."

With a grin that could have powered the Gate, Jack walked over to Daniel who was standing beside the bed. "And what do you want...to do?"

"I want you to make love to me, make me know I belong to you, mark me, anything you want, Jack, anything."

"I'll make love to you, you'll be in no doubt that you're mine but I also want you to know that I'm yours. I want this to be a partnership, Daniel, straight down the line."

"No other way, Jack, no other way."

Jack stepped back out of Daniel's embrace and the archaeologist frowned, "Jack?"

"I ...we didn't talk about the ground rules. I don't want to ..."

"Whoa there, Jack. I was in a relationship with Jack for over a year and there isn't a single 'ground rule' we didn't discuss, dissect and re-write. Get back here!"

Jack's version of getting back was a flying leap that took Daniel, landing him flat on his back across the centre of the bed.

"That's one way of obeying an order, Colonel," Daniel said laughing breathlessly.

"Only way with you, Daniel Jackson."

Leaning across, Jack opened a drawer beside the bed and took out a small tube and with a smile dropped it near the pillow.

"Boy scout?" Daniel grinned, settling himself comfortably on the pillow.

Grinning, Jack returned assiduously to his previous occupation of kissing his way across Daniel's body and the younger man curled up and caressed Jack's shoulders and upper back until he collapsed back on the bed with a groan as Jack reached lower and lower and finally arriving at his groin.

Jack raised his head and looked at the hard cock right in front of him, smiling at the knowledge he had permission to do anything he wanted and his own cock, already hard and weeping, stiffened even more in anticipation. He glanced up and saw Daniel watching him from under heavy lids, blue eyes almost black with passion, skin flushed and breaking out in a fine sheen of perspiration. _I did that, good god I did that._

As he watched, Daniel's tongue flicked out and licked at dry lips, then his teeth chewed at the lower lip and not even realising what he was doing, Jack arched upwards. Daniel gasped at the sudden movement and using his teeth Jack nibbled on that luscious lower lip before licking it and sliding his tongue inside Daniel's mouth to explore every nook and cranny. Daniel moaned deep in his throat and squirmed under Jack's heavy body pinning him to the bed.

Daniel loved the feel of Jack's weight on him, holding him down, possessing him. He wanted Jack inside him, owning him. He needed to feel that he belonged again, that he was wanted. He pulled back from the kiss, panting for breath.

"Jack," he gasped.

Jack simply smiled and slid back down his body giving a quick kiss to Daniel's cock as he moved lower and began to kiss and nibble at his inner thighs. Daniel automatically opened his legs and he grabbed handfuls of the sheet beneath him as Jack cupped his balls and rolled them between his fingers as he kissed and nipped his way back up to Daniel's cock.

The younger man was squirming and muttering nonsense interspersed with "oh god, yes" and "Jack, now please, now" and the occasional "Fuck!"

At this last comment, Jack grinned and said, "Soon," as he released Daniel's balls and slipped his hand further back along the perineum towards the small entrance. Daniel lifted his hips at the contact and then shuddered and dropped again as Jack's mouth finally swallowed his cock whole.

While Daniel was fully occupied with the sensations created by Jack's tongue and teeth gently grazing against his cock, Jack fiddled to remove the lid from the tube.

"Jack, oh that feels...wonderful, so...Aaaah!" Daniel cried out as Jack's lubed finger breeched his hole, gently massaging and circling to open his lover.

With this double edged attack, Daniel felt as if his body was on fire and he loved it. Loved the feel of Jack's talented mouth drawing out the essence of his being, knowing it wouldn't be long now. He moaned as Jack inserted a second finger stretching him a little more. It seemed a lifetime since he had felt that welcome invasion and he longed to feel Jack enter him and fill him, owning him inside and out. He moved against the fingers pressing into him, pushing back trying to draw them deeper but Jack wouldn't let him.

Releasing his cock, he murmured, "Patience, Daniel. I won't hurt you, let me. Let me love you."

"Mmmm," was the only reply.

Jack quickly went back down, momentarily pressing his tongue into the slit before swallowing Daniel again and sensing the younger man was near he sucked strongly, even as he inserted a third finger inside Daniel's willing body.

Knowing his climax was near, Daniel felt it begin way down in his toes and travel up his body. Jack was sucking even as his tongue was still caressing the underside of Daniel's cock and Daniel didn't think he could take much more when Jack suddenly pushed further inside him and brushed his prostate.

Daniel cried out and automatically began to lift his hips until Jack placed one hand on his belly holding him steady as Daniel's orgasm spilled his seed down Jack's throat, pulse after pulse.

Jack thought he might gag as Daniel's climax threatened to overwhelm him but he kept swallowing, finally letting Daniel's limp cock slide from his mouth as he gasped for breath. He looked up to see Daniel collapsed, boneless and panting. Jack felt pride that he could induce his lover to this.

"Love you, Daniel."

"..uv ..u."

Jack laughed gently at his flustered linguist and twisted the fingers still inside his lover.

"Hnng."

"What language is that?"

"Post-coital," Daniel murmured.

"Um, might know that one," Jack grinned.

"Wanna show me?" Daniel asked, eyeing Jack's impressive erection.

"Roll over onto your stomach," Jack said as he slid his fingers from Daniel.

"No, need to see you, watch your face."

Jack's erection twitched at that. "Whatever you want." He moved in closer between Daniel's legs as the younger man lifted them over Jack's thighs. "Ready?"

"Willing, able and impatient."

"Coming," Jack said as he lined up his cock.

"Not yet but you will be as soon as you get a move on."

"My, aren't we impatient."

"Ye....ooh." Whatever Daniel intended to say was lost as Jack pushed in past the ring of muscle. Jack hesitated making sure he'd not hurt Daniel before slowly moving again.

"Oh, that feels wonderful. More, more."

Jack grinned and pressed further inside and Daniel suddenly lifted his legs higher and draped them over Jack's shoulders squirming as he did so to bring Jack deeper inside.

"God, Daniel, you're a slut!" said Jack as the wonderful feeling of being surrounded by Daniel filled him.

"Don't you know it!"

"Cool!" Jack said as he slid the rest of the way in, resting to allow Daniel to get used to the sensation of being filled.

"Come on, Jack, move it." This was exactly what Daniel had been missing and he needed to _feel_ every single second of it.

Happily complying, Jack pulled almost all the way out and slammed back in, repeating the movement angling to find the prostate.

"Harder Jack, come on you can do better than this."

"Bastard!" Jack lifted himself higher and forwards, rolling Daniel's hips and moving his knees closer to his chest. Pushing the younger man even further he slammed back in again and judging by Daniel's moaning, he was plum on target.

"Oooh Jack, that...is just...so.....so, oooh Jack."

Jack rammed in again and as he leaned over he licked Daniel's shoulder, "Mine!" he declared as he pulled back and thrust hard again, licking the shoulder a second time. He pulled completely out and Daniel's eyes flew open. "You're mine, Daniel, never forget that," Jack growled as, taking hold of Daniel's waist in an iron grip, he penetrated his lover with all the strength and determination he could muster, leaning over again and this time biting down hard on Daniel's shoulder.

Daniel cried out and shuddered, moaning again as Jack licked at the trickle of blood but Daniel felt no pain, only being aware of the act of possession and revelling in it as Jack resumed his pounding rhythm hitting his prostate with every stroke now. Daniel felt as if he were flying and never wanted to come back down to earth.

Jack's climax was nearing, the sensations careering through his body like fingers of fire. "I'm coming, Daniel, oh god, coming, coming, COMING!" His orgasm raced through him and into his lover's body. "Daniel, love you, love yoooou."

Daniel heard Jack's words as if from a distance as he teetered on the edge and when Jack loosed his climax within, Daniel leapt and soared before finally falling back to earth. He finally opened his eyes to find he was lying entwined with his lover, Jack still inside him.

"Love you, my Jack. That was...that was perfect."

"Oh, Danny."

"First time you called me that."

"Do you mind?"

"No, only Jack ever calls me that."

"A private way to say I love you?"

"I knew you'd understand."

"I'm Jack."

"Yes, you are."

FIN


End file.
